so at le&st it appeared to the disoiplee. n "footsteps are not known." They needod hRs been snggested that our Lord did this not, however, to have been so ame.zed, for that the disciples might more clearly see they had just witnessed his power in the bow the wind was stilled in his presence. miracle of the loaves; but they understood They nppoaed that it was an apparition not (/,rl ,-ois /l.p,-o,s) oonoerning the loe.vea, (Uo{av tpri,,.,-acrµa •Iva,); literally, a phan- but their heart was ( rnro,po,µ./1111) hardened ; tom. Why did they suppose this ? Partly litere.lly, stupefied and blinded. from the idea the.t spectres appear in the Ver. 53.-They oame into the le.nd of Gen- night e.nd in the darkness to terrify men, nese.ret; litemlly ( /,rl .,.~,, .,,ij,, ~.\8011 ,is n.nd pa.rtly because in the darkness they r,111111craph ), they came to the land unto ~uld not so readily recognize that it we.s Gen11&aret. This was the plain on the Jesus. Then the fe.ot the.tour Lord" would western side of the sea sometimes called l,e.ve passed by them," flitting pe.st them e.s "the Le.ke of Gennese.ret." The name Gen- though he cared nothing for them e.nd he.d nese.ret (se.ys Cornelius e. Le.pide) mee.na nothing to do with them, but was going "e. fertile garden." There we.s e. city origin- elsewhere; this must he.ve increased their ally called "Chinnereth" or "Cinneroth," terror. Bnt now came the moment for him mentioned in Josh. xix. 25, which probably to calm their fears. Straightwe.y he te.lked gave one of its no.mes to this le.ke. with them. soothingly. Be of good cheer: Vers. 54:-56.-Stre.ightway the people it is I; be not afraid. Now, Christ did this knew him. Some, no doubt, had known that he might tee.oh his disciples to conquer him before. He was now the general object fear and temptation, even when they are of interest and attraction wherever he went. very great, and that so the deliverance e.nd They bege.n to oe.rry a.bout on their beds the CLlnsole.tion might impress them all the ( .,,.1 ,-o,s 1tpaf3f3d.,-o,s) those that were siok, more powerfully e.nd sweetly in proportion to where they heard he was. The original is their former tenor. "• It is I '-I, your Lord very expressive (81rou l,1<ovo11 3T1 EKe, ,er,-,), and MBBter, whom you know so well, and of where they heard, He ill there. But the best whose goodness e.nd omnipotence you have authorities omit '"'" Villages, or cities, already had so much experience; I, your or fields (Greek, a.')'poos) ; literally, cowntry, Master, who do not come to mock you as a where the pursuits of agriculture would be phantom, but to deliver you both from fee.r going ou. They le.id the sick in the streeta and frum storm." It will be observed tho.t (Greek, lr, ,-a,s a.')'opa,s)-literally, in the St. Mark omits e.11 mention of Peter's a.et of nui,rlcet-places; the proper rendering-that ia.ith "in going down from the boat, and they might touch if it were bnt the border walking upon the waters to come to Jesus," of his garment. 'The border (1tp&cr1r,oov) as recorded by St. Matthew (xiv. 28). means the" fringe" or" hem;" the garmeut Throughout this Gospel, e.s nlree.dy no- we.s the outer robe worn over the tunic. ticed, St. Peter is kept in the background. And e.s me.ny as touched him were me.de Vere. 51, 52.-The amazement of the whole (8cro1 !iv -/i,itav'ra auTDu ,crd,(ov,-o); a~'roii disciples was very great. Nor was the might mean either "him" or "it," that is, impression confined to them a.lone. St. "the border of his garment." But the Matthew (xiv. 33) tells us that they who difference ie of little importance; for it was were in the boat came and worshipped him. fe.ith in those who touched which brought They felt, e.t least for the moment, that the healing virtue to the sick, whether they they were brought into awful nearness to touched the Saviour himself or only his One whose "way is in the sea," and whose clothes. "path is in the great we.ten," and whose
HOMILETICS. Vera.1--6.-Unbelief. Our Lord may have had two reasons for leaving Capcrnaum and for visiting Nazareth. One, a personal reason-to see his mother and his sisters, who seem to have been married there. The other, 11, ministeri,al reason-to escape from the busy throngs who resorted to him by the lake, and to take a new centre for evangelistic labours on the part of himself and his disciples. It is singular and instructive that Nazareth should have perhaps twice furnished a striking instance of human unbelief and offence with "the Nazarene." I TRE UNREABOl!U..BLENEBB AND INEXCUBA.BLENEBB OF 1l'l!mELIEF Ill CHRIST, There we;e several facts which took away all excuse from the conduct of the inhabitants ol Nazareth. 1. H; was well known to them. They had been acquainted with him for many years, and they had seen in him not~ing but. truth and integrity. His_ clai~e, therefore, should have been fairly and candidly considered. 2. He brought with him orr. v1. 1-66.J THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 2iJl